Dunes · Amagansett
Napeague State Park — Walking Dunes
A migrating dune system with a songbird hedge on its lee side. Winter brings Snowy Owl irruptions to the bayside mudflats; spring floods the cranberry bog with warblers.
Access & parking
Walking Dunes trail head is off Napeague Harbor Road. Sandy loop through the moving dunes, cranberry bog, and phragmites marsh — about a mile.
Parking: Unpaved lot at the trailhead; free year-round.
Restrooms: No restrooms on site — nearest are at Hither Hills.
Difficulty: Moderate
When to go
Seasons: Spring Migration, Fall Migration, Winter
Time of day: morning
Target species
- Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
- American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
- Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
- Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)
- Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
Rarities reported here
- Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
- Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Photography tips
Low angle at the dune base at first light catches the warbler wave moving through the bayberries. Avoid walking off the sand trail in breeding season — plover fencing is enforced.
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